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Somewhere in the Stafford County countryside
Page 1 Katiebeecher :Outside a small country cottage somewhere in the Stafford County countryside, an older woman struggled with an axe that was stuck in the piece of log she was trying to split for firewood. She paused and looked across the rolling hills to the road off in the distance. :For a moment, she thought she saw movement and, as always, she had a fleeting thrill of hope that quickly passed. The chances that she'd ever see her husband and daughter again were so remote that she chastised herself whenever she dared to hope. Such thoughts didn't get the wood cut. And with that thought safely pushed aside, she lifted up the axe once more and brought it down hard in another attempt at the task at hand. Jorne :Walking along one of the various County roads, Jorne could be seen doing a daily jog for his training into the Stafford Guard Professionals. As he's running he sees an older lady that seems to be struggling with an axe and some timber. He approaches the woman, "Excuse me ma'am, would you like some help?" Katiebeecher :The woman looked at the young man who had offered to help. She appraised him with a critical eye for a moment before she responded, "Well, I suppose there's no reason for me to strain my back if you are offering yours." :She stepped back from the chopping block where the log she was working on sat with the axe wedged into it. "In fact, I would be much obliged if you'd assist me with splitting a bit of firewood, young man." Jorne :Jorne listened to what the woman had to say and then began to approach the chopping block. He examined the log with the axe wedged into and thought to himself about how he should tackle this."All right, I think I can do that, it'll work well with my training," He then proceeded to grab the axe handle and remove the axe from the log, he struggled for a few seconds but then managed to remove the weapon. With a mighty swing from his arms he split the log in two and presumed to do so with the remaining timber. Katiebeecher :While the young man worked on chopping the wood, the woman excused herself and stepped into the house. When she emerged a short time later, she had a basket of scones and biscuits and a large stoneware mug of some lightly spiced apple cider. :"Just a little something as a thank you," she said as she held up the items with a gesture of offering to him. "Now, what is your name, young man? Who am I thanking today?" Jorne :Jorne stood up and looked at the woman's offering. He graciously accepted the offer, smiling at the woman, "My name is Jorne, and there is no thanks needed. I'm just doing what I believe is right." He began to drink from the mug, as the liquid ran down his throat, he felt replenished from the previous labour."It's delicious, thank you. Katiebeecher :"Well, I'm glad you enjoy it. And, it is nice to meet you, Jorne." she says with a smile and a slight nod of the head. "I am Mrs. Kateryn Beecher, though I ask most people to call me Katie, not that I see many people. I have lived alone for quite a while." :Then Katie paused a moment and looked at Jorne thoughtfully, "Tell me, Jorne. Do you travel much? Meet many people?" Jorne :Jorne pauses to think for a moment. There is many things he could've told her, about his past, about his brother, but he decided it was better to left the past in the past, "Pleasure to meet you, Katie; Travel much? Hmm, I've only been to several towns around Stafford, although with that being said, I've met quite the number of people, yourself?" Katiebeecher :Katie shakes her head. "I moved around a few times when I was much younger but that was long ago." She looks off to the horizon for a moment as she thinks about the past. :"I'm always hoping that my family might come back to me, so I haven't wanted to move around much in recent years. I wonder if I might ask you a favor, since you are obviously a kind sort of fellow. If you ever meet anyone else by the name of Beecher, could you tell them that I am here? I..." but then Katie's voice cracks, and tears threaten to spill and she stops talking. Jorne :Noticing Katie's recent change of emotions, "Of course I'll tell them, is something wrong?" Jorne attempts to scan Katie's face for something as if he was trying to read her mind but nothing came up. Katiebeecher :Katie swallows hard against the lump that has formed in her throat. Shaking her head a bit as she forces a smile back on her face and says, "It's nothing new to me but sometimes the emotions come back strongly." :She takes a breath and continues in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, "Years ago... I guess it's been about ten years now... my young daughter disappeared. We woke up one morning and she was gone." :"The day before, a stranger had been to visit my husband and they'd argued. My husband was convinced that she hadn't run away or just gotten lost but that she'd been kidnapped, though I never understood why anyone would want to kidnap our little girl. Anyway, that's what Nicholas thought and he left... trying to find her. He was gone for some time, came back with no news and then would head back out again in another direction." She took a deep breath again then says, "The last time I saw him was more than two years ago." :"I've never stopped hoping that I might see one of them again." Katie gives a little shrug, as though acknowledging the unlikeliness of that happening. Jorne :Shocked from what he had just heard, Jorne took a few steps back and tried to hold back the tears that were forming in his eyes, "That's terrible, it must feel truly awful, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked."He continued to try and maintain the dryness of his eyes but the emotions he felt from the story were so powerful that they overwhelmed him. :He walked around for a few minutes trying to calm himself down. It's difficult when someone close to you dissapears. Jorne recalls his own past of his time in Worcester and his brother, although he never mentioned to the her that he had been there, he preferred it was something that was better left unsaid. He didn't want to remember the past but the feeling of losing someone who was special to him returned. And then he remembered her, it was terrible, he had only managed to write one letter to her after he had fled to Stafford, he wanted to go back but was afraid of what he would find once he had arrived. :After a few minutes, Jorne returned,"Sorry about that, I will certainly pass on your message if I meet anyother Beechers out there." He stood there in silence staring at the old lady and then staring down to the ground. Katiebeecher :Katie saw that her story seemed to have quite an effect on the young man. She wondered if she had shared too much. :"It's quite alright, Jorne. I don't mind at all that you asked. I'm sorry that I've upset you." Katie paused a moment looking at his troubled face then, with a flash of insight brought by age and experience, she asked softly, "Have you lost someone too?" Jorne :Realizing that the woman had sensed his change of emotions, Jorne took another second to recollect himself before answering, "It's rather difficult to talk about, it's something I'd rather leave behind for now," he then glared back down at the ground and examined the dirt he stood on as if trying to look for something that couldn't be found. Katiebeecher :"Certainly," Katie said in a kind voice, "I understand. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." She was trying hard to swallow the maternal instincts that were rising up. Wanting suddenly very much to help him but realizing that it was not really her place. "You've been quite kind today, stopping to help a strange woman. I hope you will remember this as a place where you are always welcome, Jorne." Page 2 Jorne :Jorne looked back up to Katie, "It's all right, thank you, Katie, for the food. If I see your daughter, I will be sure to tell her," With that being said, Jorne turned around and started to walk away, he had done a good thing today. Katiebeecher :Katie watches Jorne for a short while as he walks away. Then she picks up a couple pieces of the wood that he chopped for her and heads inside her little house. Katiebeecher :It was another gray December day, and Katie Beecher was spending it alone. Drinking a cup of tea in her chair by the window, with her forgotten needlework on the table at her elbow, she sat thinking about happier holiday seasons from years past. :With a slight sigh, Katie thought to herself, "It does no good to sit around being melancholy." Then, she set down her teacup. Rising from her chair, she put on her wraps and went outside. :Katie went round to the side of the house where there was a wooden box with a hinged lid. She pulled out a small hand-saw and took it to a nearby pine tree. Working carefully to select the right branches, with an eye towards leaving the tree with an attractive shape, Katie selectively cut off a few branches. Deciding that she had enough, she put away her saw, collected the pine cuttings and went back inside. :Using her embrodiery thread to secure it, Katie crafted a simple wreath from the branches. Next, she tied onto the wreath a large red bow. Katie opened the front door and hung the wreath on a hook on the door. Going outside, she pulled the door closed behind her and stepped back to examine her handiwork. :http://graphicrelief.net/xmas%20wreaths/wreathimages/christmas-wreath.jpg :With a small smile and a satisfied nod, Katie went back into the house to fix herself something for lunch. Martha_ann :After meeting Lady Gabby, Martha Ann left the tavern for a short break when she noticed the little cottage. As she walks closer she saw a beutifully made wreath on the door. Martha Ann remembered times with her family during the holidays, before they died of sweat. She wonders if the owner of the house had the same problem... :Martha Ann knocked on the door. Katiebeecher :Katie finished dressing in the back room after taking a relaxing and cleansing bath. A short while ago, she thought she'd heard a knock on the door but had been in no state to go answer it at the time. :Tucking a stray lock of hair back into place, Katie opened the front door to check and see if the visitor was still waiting. Jasmyne :Jas and Heero rode up in the early evening, jas upon a huge black stallion, she leaned forword to ask the lady of the home. I've been told that a certain Beecher lives around these parts and may be seeking information about another, i may be able to help :Jas checked both sides of the womans head and said hmmm then under her tone of voice said, must run from the fathers side :Anyway, lyra is well and i believe she still resides in Shrewsbury, which is a stones throw from here, last i heard she had found a map but it had many locations upon it........would you like for me to relay a message, should she still be there Katiebeecher :Katie stared blankly at the woman who'd suddenly appeared outside her door and announced news that Katie never really expected to hear. :"Lyra's alive? And here in Stafford County?" Katie said incredulously. It had been so long and she'd worked so hard at controlling her hope of either her daughter or her husband returning to her, that now that there was the possibility of a reunion with one of them, Katie felt suspicious -- wary of the heartache she'd feel if it turned out to be false. :But then she looked into the eyes of the woman on the horse and saw the kindness and sincerity in them and Katie's doubts were allayed. Katie reached out and grasped the woman's hand in both of her own. With a look of joy breaking onto her face, Katie shook her hand vigorously as she said, "Thank you. Thank you. I must make some preparations first but I'll be leaving to go find her as soon as I can. If you see her, please tell my dear girl I'm coming." :As she spoke her eyes filled with tears and the last phrase was filled with emotion. Overcome, Katie could no longer speak and would have thrown her arms around the woman had she not been up on the horse. As it was, Katie hugged the woman's hand to her cheek for a moment. Then she pulled away and with one last teary smile at her visitors, Katie went back inside to begin her preparations to go find her daughter. Katiebeecher :Later, Katie had calmed somewhat and had set about packing a travel bag and making sure that things she'd be leaving behind for a while would be safe and secure. Taking a deep breath then exhaling quickly, Katie looked around and decided she was almost ready to leave. There was just one more thing to do. :Sitting at a small writing desk in the corner, Katie pulled out a piece of parchment, pen and ink and began to write. :My dearest Nicholas, :I write this without knowing if you'll ever see it but, given the news I've received, I am reminded that Jah works in mysterious ways that I cannot comprehend and I'm willing to allow myself to hope. :Our darling daughter is said to be alive and here in our own county. I'm heading towards Shrewsbury to find her. :If by some miracle you return home after I've gone, I didn't want you to think I was lost too. :With all my love, I am as always, your... :Katie :Once she'd put away the pen and ink, Katie left the note on the table in a hard to miss location. She put on her scarf and cloak, picked up her travel bag and stepped outside. :After securely locking her little cottage, Katie set off down the road. Category:Histories